Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe – Learn like a pro: Classic Macaroni Salad will take you back to your childhood. In the South, this easy and filling pasta salad recipe is a must-have at potlucks.
Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe – Learn like a pro
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1Â rib celery, finely diced (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/2Â green bell pepper, finely diced (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 cup mayo (like Duke’s)
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
Follow the directions on the package to cook the pasta in salted water. Run cool water over the pasta until it is cool.
Add the vinegar, pepper, sugar, salt, garlic, and onion powder to another bowl and mix them together. Place the bell pepper, onion, and celery in the pan. Mix well.
Put the pasta and about half of the dressing in a big bowl. Toss the pasta to coat it. Put the pasta and the rest of the sauce in the fridge with the lid on for at least two hours.
Add the rest of the sauce and toss to coat when you’re ready to serve. To taste, add more salt and pepper.
Notes
Red onion gives me a kick, but it can sometimes make a dish taste too strong. After cutting the red onion into small pieces, soak it in cool water for five minutes. Then, drain it and add it to the sauce. The sharpness of the onion will be tamed without changing the taste.
Tips for making the best macaroni salad ever
After cooking the pasta, shock it with cold water right away! This stops the pasta from cooking and gets rid of the extra starch so it doesn’t stick together as much. Before you add the sauce, soak the diced red onion in cool water.
This will keep the red onion’s taste from being too strong. Soak it in cool water for five minutes. After that, drain it and mix it with your sauce. The sharpness of the onion will be tamed without changing the taste.
First, put in half of the dressing. After that, put it in the fridge before adding the rest of the sauce. This salad tastes better after sitting for a while, but the pasta will keep soaking up the dressing, so it might be a little dry when it’s time to eat.
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To avoid that, I add about half of the dressing, put it in the fridge, and then add the rest of the dressing right before serving. This way, you get all the yummy smoothness. Test the food for taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
The tastes will change as the salad sits for a while. Because of this, I always tell people to taste the salad and add more salt and pepper if they think it needs it right before they serve it.
